Golf practice device



Dec. 2, 1941. w. E. KOHL GOLF PRACTICE DEVICE Filed May 5, 1940 IN\ 'ENTOR. hoHL ld/lLL/AM 5 BY W ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 2, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GOLF PRACTICE DEVICE William E. Kohl, Cleveland, Ohio Application May 3, 1941),, Serial No. 333,130

4 Claims.

This invention relates to golf practice devices, and more particularly to a new and improved device for use in practicing golf strokes without resorting to the use of ordinary golf balls or golf grounds.

Heretofore, various types of golf practice devices have been provided and used for purposes of practicing golf strokes to attain accuracy and proficiency in hitting a golf ball, however, it was found that such devices embodied drawbacks which made them undesirable for many reasons from a practice standpoint. For example, it was impossible to tell by the use of such devices whether or not a mistake had been made in a golf stroke, and if so, what the nature of such mistake might have been; moreover, the use of such devices failed to indicate when a golf stroke, if simulated, would properly drive an ordinary golf ball in a desired direction. Furthermore, prior art practice devices were relatively costly to use, primarily being of such a nature that they became unserviceable either after the first impact of the club head th'erewith or after a relatively short period of use.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide for the practice of a golf stroke a device in the form of a ball segment, the trajectory of which will indicate whether or not such stroke was properly made and if simulated on an ordinary golf ball would project the ball in a desired direction and to a pre-determined distance, and which will tend to indicate by its action, if there were any error in the stroke, what such error might be. Another object is to provide a light, inexpensive, durable device upon which one may practice golf strokes in a confined space. A further object is to provide a golf practice device which, when struck by the head of a golf club, will simulate the sound and take-01f of an ordinary golf ball but whose trajectory will extend but a small fraction of the trajectory of a golf ball subjected to a similar blow. A still further object is to provide a support for the practice device which will hold such device in proper striking position.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent and better understood after consideration has been given to the following detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein a device constructed in accordance with the present invention is illustrated, and wherein,

Figure 1 is a side elevational View of the golf practice device mounted on a suitable supporting tee, with a golf club head in position for striking, and a further view in phantom showing the action of the club head on the device immediately after impact,

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view of the practice device and tee, and

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional-view taken on line 33 of Figure 2.

With reference to the drawing, the numeral it indicates a golf practice device made in accordance with the present invention, mounted upon a suitable supporting member or tee II. The device 10 preferably takes the form of a hollow ball segment which may be preferably semi-spherical in contour, having a diameter approximately the same as the diameter of th'e orinary golf ball. The ball segment is made of a semi-flexible, light weight, durable material, capable of withstanding severe punishment when repeatedly struck with the head of a golf club. The outer curved surface of the device I0 is preferably flattened as at [2 on a plane substantially parallel with a plane extending through the edge surface of the device to provide a substantially plane striking surface, to be engaged by the hitting face of the golf club head. The extent of this plane surface l2 or out of round portion of the ball segment is comparable to that portion of the ordinary golf ball which is deformed at the instant of impact between the golf club face and the ball. To further simulate the exterior appearance of the ordinary golf ball, the device I0 is provided with dimples l3 on the exterior surface thereof. To give the device Ill qualities of resonance to enable it, when struck by the head of a golf club, to give forth a sound similar to the sound following the impact of the ordinary golf ball and club head, the interior of the device may be provided with a cushioning or sound deadening member H! which preferably may be of any suitable material, for example, sponge rubber or like substance. This member l4 also serves to add weight and balance to the ball segment, so as to lessen the effect that air resistance might otherwise have upon its flight.

While the device l0 may be set up with little support, as on the turf or in sand, for most purposes it is preferable to employ a supporting tee H. as illustrated in the drawing. The tee II is provided with an upper inclined surface l5, substantially complemental to the surface of the edge portion of the device. A flexible lip I6 extends over the surface 15 and forms therewith a slot to receive the edge portion of the device Ii]. The lip I6 serves to maintain the device It in proper striking position on the upper surface of the tee. However, it is of such resiliency that it does not interfere with the flight of the device after the same has been struck with a club head. If desired, the practice tee l I may be anchored on the ground by means of a cord I! and a peg 18.

In using the present invention for practicing golf strokes, the device 10 is mounted upon the tee H with the open end thereof facing the direction of flight preparatory to being struck by a club. The player practicing with the device takes the same position and proceeds to strike the device with the same stroke both as to swing and force as he would use with a golf ball. As the face of the club head meets the device if), it is dislodged from behind the lip l6, and as the club head follows through, the flattened surface l2 of the ball segment engages with the surface of the club, as shown in Figure 1. The hollow or suit in slicing or hooking can be readily determined from the trajectory of the device, and subsequently corrected. If the device is correctly struck by a golf club head in a manner that would propel an ordinary golf ball on a straight line, the device will travel straight in the direction that the ball would take.

Having thus described my invention so that those skilled in the art may be able to understand and practice the same, what I desire to obtain by Letters Patent is defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A golf practicing device comprising a substantially hemispherical hollow shell-like body portion having an open end and having an outer surface contoured to simulate a like portion of an ordinary golf ball, the closed end of the body portion being deformed to provide a substantially flat striking surface adapted to be engaged by the head of a golf club.

2. A golf practicing device comprising a substantially hemispherical hollow shell-like body portion having an open end, the outer surface of said body portion being formed on a radius equal to the radius of the ordinary golf ball, said outer surface being provided with a substantially flat striking surface parallel to the open end of the body portion.

3. A golf practicing device comprising a substantially hemispherical hollow shell-like body portion having an open end and having an outer surface contoured to simulate half of an ordinary golf ball, the closed end of the body portion being deformed to provide a substantially flat striking surface parallel to said open end, and sound deadening medium secured within the shell adjacentsaid striking surface.

4. A golf practicing device comprising a substantially hemispherical hollow shell-like body portion having an open end and having an outer surface being formed on a radius equal to the radius of an ordinary golf ball, the closed end of the body portion being deformed to provide a substantially flat striking surface adapted to be engaged by the head of a golf club, and an insert secured within the shell adjacent the striking surface.

WILLIAM E. KOHL. 

